If you love mystery/thriller books, you should check out the Rizolli series by Tess Gerritsen. She is fantastic!!! The Surgeon is the first one in that series and she's come out with i think, 7 after that. I'm not a hardcore reader and when one of her books come out, i stop everything and read it in a few days. Then i wait 6 months for the next one. lol She's really the only author i read 'religiously'. HOpe that helps.

(Bc her books are so great TNT is doing a tv series on her books/characters. Check out tessgerritsen.com for info)

and no i'm not a spokesperson. I just love her books! (been reading them since 2000)

My husband and I started the series by Stieg Larsson, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", "The Girl Who played with Fire" and "The Girl who Kicked the Hornets Nest"
A great read by a Jamaican born Margaret Cezair-Thompson is "The Pirates Daughter". It is a fictional account based on the rumor that Errol Flynn fathered a daughter in Jamaica while living there in the 40's and 50's.

If you like to laugh, David Sedaris is a must read! But be warned that you're liable to laugh uncontrollably, possibly attracting unwanted attention.
His best are Naked, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, and Me Talk Pretty One Day (my favorite).
In fact, it's been a couple of years for me, so I'm about to re-read Me Talk Pretty One Day at CSA. I'll be the one laughing hysterically.

Any book by Harlan Coben, especially his Myron Bolitar series, they are great mysteries, with a nice touch of humour. Along the same line, would be the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt, and any of Linwood Barclay's. Again, these are easy read mysteries, written with a light touch of humour, great for the beach!

Another series we have really enjoyed are 5 mysteries by Bob Morris. Great characters, easy reads, and again, a nice interjection of humour. The other nice thing about this series is that all 5 of them take place in the Caribbean! "Bahamarama", "Jamaica Me Dead", "Bermuda Schwartz", "A Deadly Silver Sea", and his latest, "Baja Florida". Terrific books to read on the beach!!

I LOVED "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein!!!!! I just bought his first novel (it's just been re-released "Raven Stole The Moon" I am bringing it with me to CN in 3 weeks so I havent read it yet.

Also bringing "Best Friends Forever" by Jennifer Weiner, and "My Name is Memory" by Ann Brashares. This is her 2nd novel written for adults, the first was "The Last Summer (of you and me)". Ann Brashares also wrote "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants".

If you have read "Raven Stole the Moon", "My name is Memory" or "Best Friends Forever" please let me know what you thought of them.

You also can't go wrong with anything by Elin Hilderbrand. All very good beach reads, all set in Nantucket!!!!!

I just read "The Help" and loved it. Very good, especially if you grew up in the south in the early 60's.

I'm reading "The Girls from Ames" by Jeffrey Zaslow right now. only read a few chapters so far but I like it.

If you love mystery/thriller books, you should check out the Rizolli series by Tess Gerritsen. She is fantastic!!! The Surgeon is the first one in that series and she's come out with i think, 7 after that. I'm not a hardcore reader and when one of her books come out, i stop everything and read it in a few days. Then i wait 6 months for the next one. lol She's really the only author i read 'religiously'. HOpe that helps.

(Bc her books are so great TNT is doing a tv series on her books/characters. Check out tessgerritsen.com for info)

and no i'm not a spokesperson. I just love her books! (been reading them since 2000)

I agree. She seems to be one of the greatest "unknown" authors. You don't hear a lot about her but she is great. Another one is Iris Johansen, but stay away from her first 8-9 unless you like Harlequin romance (which I don't). Start with The Ugly Duckling and go forward. Especially the Eve Duncan books.

Michael Crichton's last book (published posthumously) is a semi-historical pirate novel set in Jamaica and surrounding locals. It's easy and fun: Pirate Latitudes.

Anything by Carl Hiassen is a really good time. If you haven't read him, I'd start as early as possible becuase although it's not a series, there are some recurring characters (his very earliest don't seem to be on Kindle yet, though).

If you love mystery/thriller books, you should check out the Rizolli series by Tess Gerritsen. She is fantastic!!! The Surgeon is the first one in that series and she's come out with i think, 7 after that. I'm not a hardcore reader and when one of her books come out, i stop everything and read it in a few days. Then i wait 6 months for the next one. lol She's really the only author i read 'religiously'. HOpe that helps.

(Bc her books are so great TNT is doing a tv series on her books/characters. Check out tessgerritsen.com for info)

and no i'm not a spokesperson. I just love her books! (been reading them since 2000)

John Sandford has a series out now called"the Prey"series. All of the titles ahve the word"Prey" in the title. All awesome reads for anyone who likes a good crime/mystery series. check'em out. you won't be disappointed

You should start with the Surgeon first. Then the Apprentice, then the Sinner. If you go to Tessgerritsen.com they list them in order (backwards from newest to oldest). I hope you enjoy these. After the next one comes out in 2 weeks, ill go back to the beginning and re read them all. I just love her books!

Another good series to start is Kathy Reichs Temperance Brennan novels...and I always like Patricia Cornwell and the Scarpetta series as well, but you do have to try to do both in order or you will be a little lost. Lots of books by both so you will have plenty to read.

The "Prey" series by John Sanford has been out for years and it is a great series.

Harlen Coben and Greg Iles are awesome authors.

I've read a couple of Tess Gerritson's and like her as well.

Some others to look at (mystery with a little romance: Lisa Jackson is great as is Lisa Gardner. Sandra Brown is great as well (really fast reads). Other authors along the "mystery/thriller" line are Wendy Corsi Staub, Beverly Barton, Tami Hoag, Mary Higgins Clark and Philip Margolin, to name a few.

Cindy
You and I seem to think alike. I also read The Help and really liked it. Has to be a southern thing. Also I do like Elin Hilderbrand too. Thanks for your other great suggestions. Hope to see you on our last day at CN as you are coming and we are leaving. Are you a "RollTide" fan or Auburn?

Mariann, If we think alike (and it sounds like we do) then you have GOT to read "The Art of Racing in the Rain" it's by Garth Stein, and is SO good!!!! I hope we see you there too, I've seen a photo of you guys so I will be looking..... We both went to Alabama WAY back when The Bear was coach but neither of us are sports fans...... How about you?

Originally Posted by Jimnmariann

Cindy
You and I seem to think alike. I also read The Help and really liked it. Has to be a southern thing. Also I do like Elin Hilderbrand too. Thanks for your other great suggestions. Hope to see you on our last day at CN as you are coming and we are leaving. Are you a "RollTide" fan or Auburn?